2019

Pictured is the piece of park board-owned land that Graco may be allowed to purchase. This is part of a pending settlement between Graco and the park board over East Bank Trail land. Source: Minneapolis Park Board

The Minneapolis Park Board and Graco Inc. are nearing a settlement on a long-time lawsuit over the East Bank Trail between Graco and the Mississippi River near Hall's Island. >>

A rendering of the proposed Upper Harbor Terminal Community Performing Arts Center

After more than two and a half years of community engagement, draft plans for the redevelopment of a mile-long riverfront site in North Minneapolis were revealed mid-August.

The draft calls for a dramatic overhaul of the Upper Harbor Terminal site, aiming to turn the long-closed port into both a regional attraction and a beneficial part of the North Minneapolis community. >>

The 2018 Minnesota legislative session resulted in very good news for a 48-acre riverfront site in North Minneapolis known as the Upper Harbor Terminal. An influx of $15 million state dollars will help kickstart its redevelopment into housing, offices, stores, restaurants, an amphitheater, parks and trails. >>

Part of our local national park — River Heights Park in Inver Grove Heights — is no longer slated to be turned into lots for private homes.

The city of Inver Grove Heights was considering selling River Heights Park, part of our local Mississippi River national park, for housing. But neighbors stepped up to defend it, and with a little support from FMR, the park has been preserved!

Inver Grove Heights is a valued FMR habitat restoration partner and we look forward to continuing our work together.

View from the Lowry Bridge in North and Northeast Minneapolis looking south towards downtown.

To celebrate our 25th year, each month in 2018 FMR staff will profile places along the metro Mississippi River that are near and dear to us, places that connect to FMR but that we also enjoy in our own downtime. By the end of our silver year, we'll have built a map of 25 special river places for you and yours to learn about, visit and enjoy.

This month: Minneapolis’s riverfront Above the Falls.

The Minneapolis riverfront north of St. Anthony Falls is an interesting juxtaposition of the natural, urban and industrial. Here you can enjoy bike and pedestrian trails, or rent a kayak to see a heron rookery, restored prairie, riverfront raingarden parks and sculptures, as well as industrial relics. You'll also want to visit often over the next decade to experience the changing riverfront, as more industrial sites are converted into public parklands.

We're incredibly grateful and delighted to report that our community of river advocates more than doubled in 2017!

River Guardians helped to save River Heights Park in Inver Grove Heights, rein in water quality rollbacks at the Capitol, worked for improved public access to the riverfront in North and Northeast Minneapolis and much more. Check out the 2017 best-of photos! >>